Meet Cute

Posted on 20 Sep 2020 @ 12:29am by Captain Jonathan Reynolds

Mission: Mission 4 - Race against the machine
Location: Deck 4 - crew quarters
Timeline: Pre - taking down the planet killer
1414 words - 2.8 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Charlotte had been taking a pottery class for a number of weeks now, mainly to fill her time while Eddie was off playing happy families with his "other" family and the time had come to take some of her creations home. They had been fired, painted to perfection and now she was juggling several items in her arms making her way back.

She hadn't expected to round a corner and collide with something solid. Very solid. And tall. In shock all her items were suddenly dropping out of her arms as whoever it was stumbled down.

Clunk ....

"Oh my," She said mortified and finding herself also stumbling back as her momentum and balance were completely lost.

There might have been a slight squeak that came out of Vern's mouth as his foot suddenly caught on the carpet and he found himself sprawling in front of a woman coming around the corner. With a whump something fall on top of him, something heavy and solid. He grimaced in pain and then looked at her with one eye open. "Oh. Sorry," He jumped to his feet though he felt a bit wobbly and offered his hand down to her.

"It was an owl, or supposed to be," she shrugged allowing him to pull her back up.

"I think that could leave a mark. Are you okay? Were you exercising?" she asked.

"Owl?" Vern asked confused then he realized she was talking about what had hit him. "Oh, yes, I see the resemblance." He picked the object up and handed it back to her. "Sort of. I was trying to think myself tired and I figured my body could work it off too. I didn't mean to bowl you down."

Slowly as she listened to him she started to pick up her other bits again. One had smashed on the wall.

"Apology accepted," she smiled. "Well actually it will be if you give me a hand. I'm not far from here." She indicated down the corridor towards crew quarters.

"Uh, yeah, sure." Vern rubbed his head but bent down and started picking things up and letting her hand him things until his arms were equally as full as hers. "Is there no salvaging them? Maybe you can learn mosaics next, use the broken pieces in one?" He followed along after her. "I'm Vern by the way. Vern Keading."

Charlotte was concentrating on not walking into anyone else. She caught the name Vern not much of the surname he offered. “Nice to meet you Vern. I’m Charlotte. I’ve never made a mosaic. You know what I have an idea,” she smiled.

He clearly needed to let off some steam. Something was bothering him clearly. “Just here. Come in. Please.” She placed several of the items on the table freeing her hands.

“Now you must let me offer you a drink. A thank you for helping me and a sorry about your head.”

"I should be getting back Ma'am . . . . but alright. The privilege of rank." The woman was not in uniform so he curiously asked, "Are you stationed here on Andromeda or civilian?"

"I'm completing my final year at the academy. I'm an ensign," she told him. "Its complicated. I had to leave my final year to have my son. What would you like to drink?" Charlotte asked. "And its Charlotte. Maam sounds so old."

"My aunt would have me call every young woman that too. She thought it was a mark of respect." Vern took a breath. "Oh, I don't know. Surprise me, but no alcohol, I have to be on duty soon and it wouldn't look good to stagger in. Might as well let you know right now, I'm a lightweight."

"And evidently a spoil sport," Charlotte grinned. "No alcohol. You were completely lost in thought out there. Whatever is bothering you a good brandy would take the edge off. And here, start throwing. Lets break them and make a mosaic. Take your frustration out. Please feel free. They are not that good anyway. Pottery class was merely a distraction for the nights when my sons not around."

"One drink," Vern used one finger to show her he was quite serious. "I don't destroy things when I'm angry or upset. Mostly I keep it bottled up until something breaks inside," he joked, but it was true all the same. "And there's nothing wrong with a new hobby. You'll get better, doesn't mean you shouldn't keep your first ones though. A little glue on that one, will be good as new. Want me to fix it for you?"

Charlotte poured him a large double and placed it down in front of him. "That would be lovely thank you. Let me replicate you some glue. Do you fix a lot of things?"

"Once in a while, when I can. I like working with my hands. If I hadn't joined starfleet then I would have opened up my own woodworking ship and made furniture I think. Sometime, when I can sneak away I still do that on the holodeck. I find it completely relaxing and also creative." He looked up at her. "Probably what you were trying to discover by taking a pottery class right?"

"Well no. I mean I get that but I really signed up for it to occupy myself. My marriage broke down and now I share custody of my boy. I hoped taking a class, would make me some new friends. Start to be more social. But I really am terrible," she laughed despite everything.

"What do you make?" she asked as she handed him the glue.

"Oh, sorry. And who cares, it's not like you were trying to make a career out of it." When she handed him the glue their hands touched briefly and it was the strangest sensation. His eyes went a bit wide and he starred at the other woman for a moment. "Sorry," he whispered. "Umm, chairs and tables but i like chairs the best."

“Talking of chairs,” she indicated One at the table. There hands had touched and Charlotte had felt something she hadn’t felt in a very long time. Butterflies. This guy was handsome she decided. And interesting. And seemingly wanted to talk to her.

“Are you from Earth Vern?” She asked wanting to know more about him. She walked back to the replicator and programmed one of Eddie’s snack selections. A small tray of crisps, nuts, betaziod dried fruits and chocolate caramel bits materialised and she placed them on the table between them.

"Yes and no. I was born on Betazed and lived there until I was 14 and then I moved to Earth to live with an aunt after the death of my parents." He absent mindedly reached for the snack as he forced his brain to snap back to what he was doing instead of being super sensitive about where she was in the room at all times. "Thanks," he mumbled.

“I’m very familiar with Betazed,” she smiled at him. “A beautiful planet. Oh no you caught your uniform sleeve,” she chuckled glue spreading as his moved his arm back for another snack.

She was up and in the bathroom back with a warm cloth in a jiffy, “let me,” she said moving closer and holding his arm to clean it off.

"That's what replicators are for," he mildly protested though he really didn't mind the action or the touch. There was some serious chemistry going on here if one touch could soothe him to quiet.

"A personal touch is always better," she smiled at him.

"Are you married Vern?" She found herself asking. Partly as all her years round Betaziods you never beat around the bush and partly because she was interested an well didn't want to waste her time.

He shook his head. "Never have been. But . . . " He began to ask her about her ex husband but his brain was going fuzzy, he reached for her hand without thinking, his fingers tracing over hers gently as he watched her.

"But?" she asked not stopping him or pulling her hand away.

"Oh nevermind," Without thinking about it too much he moved to kiss her, hoping to every god he could think of that she wouldn't slap him for it or pull away.

She certainly didn't slap him. In fact she found for the first time in a long time her mouth voluntarily smiling. In fact she deepened the kiss.

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